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Warm Words, Cold Comfort: UK civil society’s ongoing racism problem

This report on the Home Truths 2 survey is the first major output of the Home Truths 2 programme. The insights and experiences of Black and Minoritised Ethnic people in the survey will guide the programme’s work to build a sector that takes meaningful action on anti-racism and race equity.

Overall, the survey offers glimpses of what an anti-racist future for mainstream civil society might look like. There are some signs that organisations are recentring themselves against the idea of racism but that this positioning is not reflected in practical steps. This means that the lived reality for most survey respondents is of mainstream civil society as a site of racism, not anti-racism.

This report contains discussions about people’s experiences of racism which could be distressing or triggering. If you feel distressed reading the report or would like support for your emotional or mental health you can find resources at:


This document is copyright © Sanjiv Lingayah / ACEVO / Voice4Change England 2023. Some rights reserved.

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